Denmark: Tivoli Gardens of Memory
While nearing the end of my trip in England, I panicked a little. I was far from being done with traveling, but I had yet to plan my next trip. As I may have said before, I was making this up as I went along. So, as I sat in my hotel room in Dover, driven inside by a rain storming across the sea, I began the search for my next destination. And that is when I found a good deal on flights to Copenhagen for November. It was decided, I was headed to Denmark.
Nyhavn, Copenhagen
Why Denmark? You may ask.
A combination of spontaneity mixed with long-held comfort.
Growing up, I was influenced by Danish design and culture. I just didn’t realize it at the time. My paternal grandmother lived in Longboat Key, Florida just a short walk from the ocean. As a child, I didn’t focus too much on the furniture or the artwork in her condo, I was too busy swimming in the pool and collecting shells from the beach.
Even so, I internalized what I came to consider my grandma’s style - Scandinavian furniture, Danish design, and framed prints by artist Bjørn Wiinblad. I could not see any of these without thinking first of her. I still can’t. With her passing, her style spread across the country, distributed among the Carman clan. And for years after, I looked at her artwork so at home in my tiny apartment, and yet so out of place in my memory.
So when I scrolled across a map and hovered over Denmark, something just clicked. I could visit a place so dear to her, see and experience it with my own eyes, and create new memories while still holding to old.
Tivoli Gardens
I would start in Copenhagen, the site of the now almost mythical Tivoli Gardens. From Copenhagen I would travel to Oslo and take the famed Bergensbanen train across Norway to Bergen, for what is indeed in a name. I would head back to Denmark and visit Odense, the birthplace of Hans Christian Anderson. Plucked from the whimsy of fairytale, I would travel next to the site of tragedy - Helsingor and the making of Hamlet.
I flew from New Orleans to Atlanta and then on to Copenhagen. It was an overnight flight, and with the time change, I arrived in Denmark mid morning. I took a train from the airport to Copenhagen Central Station. Then, I walked about ten minutes to my hotel, which was located near Kødbyen, the Meatpacking District. I still had about four hours before I could check in to my hotel, but luckily, they offered secure luggage storage. I locked up my bags and headed out to explore. I wandered, passing and noting several places I intended to visit fully throughout the week.
The main order of business for the day was to find a place to sit and eat. I was tired and hungry after traveling. I had looked up two restaurants in preparation, so I headed to the first. I couldn’t quite figure out how to enter it, as many of the entrances had a step-down situation. I proceeded to option two - Restaurant Kronborg. I got a table for one and perused the menu, only to just order what the table next to me got - a three-course Christmas Lunch. It was seasonal, festive, and a nice sampling of Danish cuisine. I ordered a beer and a water. The waiter told me jokingly that beer is water and laughed. I smiled, a bit confused. I never got a water.
Dining and eating in Copenhagen for me was a bit of challenge. In preparation for my trip, I read to expect expensive prices at most restaurants. And this was true. So, I opted for a combination of dining experiences - some nice meals, street food, grocery, and carryout. But, I would absolutely not limit myself when it came to my daily coffee and pastry. It became routine for me to scope out bakeries online for the next day. This was indeed a highlight for me. Much of my culinary career was spent in baking and pastry, so it is my sweet spot.
As I walked around the city, pølsevogns and bakeries became my best friends. Denmark is known for their pølse, a popular street food topped with remoulade, pickles, mustard, and fried onions, better known as a hotdog. It was a relatively inexpensive lunch, at around six dollars, and delicious.
MY TRAVEL ADVICE:
I spent five days in Copenhagen, and after doing some research, I discovered the Copenhagen Card. Perfect for tourists, this card works as both a transport card and as entry ticket for more than eighty museums and attractions in the city. You choose one of two card options and how many days you want. I purchased one online after downloading the app. It made my time in Copenhagen feel so full. I doubt I would have visited half as many locations without it. It was almost like a city-wide scavenger hunt. The weather when I visited was very cold, especially for my Southern sensibilities. Being able to walk around the city and pop in and out of museums made the cold bearable and the respite enjoyable. I highly recommend if you happen to be in Copenhagen. Well worth the price!
THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR ME WERE:
Palmehuset - Botanical Garden
Part of The Natural History Museum’s living collection, the Victorian Palm House is a spectacular green house within the botanical garden. At the time of my visit, the Succulent House was closed for renovation. The Butterfly House, however, was open, and that ended up being my favorite part of the visit - among the butterflies.
To walk through the Palm House with the butterflies and me, click HERE.
Crowns in the Danish Royal Treasury
A Renaissance castle built by Christian IV, Rosenborg was originally designed as a summerhouse, but is now a national landmark and part of The Danish Royal Collection. The palace tour took me through three floors. My favorite part was the Throne Room, where the Coronation Chair stood surrounded by gold lions. After walking through the upper rooms of the palace, I headed to the basement treasury to view the Danish Crown Jewels.
To take a tour of Rosenborg, click HERE.
This is the largest art museum in Denmark, housing over 200,000 works of art. Originally built as a Royal Collection, the museum was gifted to the public in the nineteenth century with the rise of democracy. It was a bit overwhelming, given how vast the museum was. The exhibits almost began to blend into each other; my artistic discernment just narrowed it down by origin - Italian, French, or Danish. It was not my favorite museum in Copenhagen, but it was worth the visit, nonetheless.
This was my favorite museum in Copenhagen! In my eyes, the Design Museum of Copenhagen is an art museum - just of craft and practicality, the beauty of everyday. I enjoyed every single exhibit I walked through and spent the better part of a morning here. Some of my favorite exhibits were: “The History of the Cup,” “The Future is Present,” “Wonder,” and “The Danish Chair.”
The Design Museum of Copenhagen
If you want to see more of the museum, view my reel HERE.
The official royal residence in Copenhagen, Amalienborg is a complex comprised of four palaces, one of which houses a museum. I visited the museum and walked around the royal garden, catching sight of the Royal Opera across the waterway. It was all very beautiful. But, what I enjoyed more than that was Frederik’s Church, just a short distance from Amalienborg.
Frederik’s Church
Nicknamed “The Marble Church,” Frederik’s is indeed the focal point of the district. I passed the church on my way to Amalienborg, marveling at the exterior and decided to take a quick look inside. This is one of most architecturally enigmatic churches I have ever seen. Topped with a green copper dome held aloft by massive columns, this building looks less like a church and more like a Roman Forum.
Maca Museum
The Masters & Contemporary Art Museum displays modern art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, but I must admit I went mainly for the Banksy exhibit. And I really enjoyed it. There was a complimentary audio guide, which I am a big fan of when visiting a museum. I just had to scan the QR codes as I went through. I walked through the other exhibits too and really enjoyed “Cute. The Dark Side.” Modern, playful, animated, and satirical - it was kawaii put into context. It ended up being my favorite aspect of the museum.
One of the most famous churches in Denmark, the spiraling tower of the Church of Our Savior almost seems purely decorative from a distance. It was only upon entering that I realized those stairs were fully functional, and I could indeed climb to the top. I paid for entry and began the steep climb up the some four hundred steps. This was one spot not included in the Copenhagen Card, but well worth the small entry fee. I climbed up the church’s interior, up uneven wooden steps, past old church bells, much like going into someone’s attic.
Church of Our Saviour
The final ascent brought me outside, and the stairs continued around and around the tower to the top and the church’s golden spire. The panoramic views were gorgeous, and I stopped to take pictures of the city below. If you have any fear of heights, I would not recommend this excursion, as the exterior staircase is steep and narrow. I have a healthy fear of falling, but this still was one of my favorite experiences in Copenhagen.
Now the home of Danish Parliament and the Supreme Court, this royal residence was my favorite “castle” to tour in Copenhagen. Before entering, I was given booties to put on my shoes to keep the floors clean, which I thought was adorably hilarious, but also smart. I walked through the Royal Reception Rooms, the Throne Room, and the Great Hall, which housed floor-to-ceiling woven tapestries depicting a thousand years of Danish history. All the while utilizing my Useem app to listen as I went through. In addition to the palace itself, I visited the medieval ruins beneath the castle and ended in the Royal Kitchens - my favorite!
Take a step back in time and visit Christiansborg with me HERE.
This was perhaps the first time I visited a museum dedicated to a single artist, specifically the art of Neoclassical sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen. I didn’t have any expectations before entering. The only thing I knew was that it was sculpture - my dearest medium, and it was cold out. I need to warm up for a bit. To say I was blown away is an understatement. This was such a different museum experience for me. To have the entirety of the exhibits focus on one artist - his process, his evolution, his life’s work. It was immersive, yet comprehensive.
The second oldest amusement park in the world, this was the main inspiration for my visit to Denmark - the seed that planted the idea. I visited on a Monday, hoping for lighter crowds. My Copenhagen Card covered entrance to Tivoli Gardens, but I had to pay to go on any rides. I only went on two rides - “The Flying Trunk,” which guided you through the tales of Hans Christian Anderson, and the “Rutschebanen,” a wooden roller coaster built in 1914. “The Flying Trunk” reminded me of “It’s a Small World” in Disney, but as told through fairytales. It was an enchanting prequel to my upcoming visit to Odense.
Riding the Roller Coaster was delightfully memorable experience - the ride lasted about three or four minutes, with all the intensity of a modern coaster. The track weaved from tunnels to the open-air, offering up great views of the entire park. About half way through the ride, it started to hail, small pebbles of ice pelting my hair and face. It was so ridiculously absurd and fit the moment perfectly. As the ride came to a close, the cars got stuck on the metal tracks feet from the finish. The workers had to nudge and push us the rest of the way. I loved every bit of it!
Join me in Tivoli Gardens! Click HERE to view my reel on Instagram.
I almost didn’t make it to this museum because I didn’t realize that this, like many museums, closed on Mondays. A mistake I would not make again. While a little short on time, I managed to visit the National Museum on Tuesday morning before heading to the airport to fly to Oslo. I could’ve spent a few hours in this museum, but I only had about an hour and a half to spend. Given my limited time, I focused mainly on viewed the special exhibit, “The Viking Sorceress.”
